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CARE Japan assists Japanese emergency response, survivors need help as quickly as possible

CARE Japan assists Japanese emergency response, survivors need help as quickly as possible

Mar 14, 2011

CARE Japan will assist the ongoing emergency response in Japan after the massive earthquake and tsunami. New numbers of casualties and destruction are coming in by the hour, and people who have lost houses are in need of assistance. “Everyone is in shock. Japan has one of the best disaster response measures worldwide in place, but a disaster on this scale simply overwhelms everything”, says Katsuhiko Takeda, National Director of CARE Japan.

Generally, CARE only respond in developing countries that often have limited infrastructure and capacity to help survivors of natural disasters. However, this was the worst earthquake on record in Japan followed by a ten-meter high tsunami and the destruction is massive. Many homes are without electricity, roads are destroyed and people are running out of food, water and gas supply. The number of casualties currently stands at 1,647 with more than 1,720 people missing; however, this could change significantly over the next days. While the attention is currently focused on the nuclear radiation threat, survivors of the quake and the tsunami need food, drinking water, blankets, fuel and medical items.

“This major disaster goes beyond everything that we have seen. We are deeply concerned about the survivors and need to move quickly to assist them with essential relief items“, Katsuhiko Takeda says. The level of destruction is not clear yet and it will likely take some more days until a full picture of the damage emerges. Continuing aftershocks are hampering relief efforts to bring much needed food, water and blankets to survivors.

CARE Japan was founded in 1987 and implements programs on education as well as water and sanitation projects in developing countries. CARE Japan is part of CARE International, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Working side by side with poor people in 70 countries, CARE helps empower communities to address the greatest threats to their survival. Women are at the heart of CARE’s efforts to improve health, education and economic development because experience shows that a woman’s achievements yield dramatic benefits for her entire family. CARE is also committed to providing lifesaving assistance during times of crisis, and helping rebuild safer, stronger communities afterward. We advocate for policies that defend the dignity of all people and promote the eradication of poverty.